Finally Free
by ILoveNeil
Summary: One-shot of Juliet and James: Neither of them remember the island and are meeting now for the very first time.


**One-shot of Juliet and James: They don't remember the island and are meeting for the first time. Sawyer's point of view. Thanks for reading and please review if you have the time :)**

"Sawyer, where are you going?" A voice asked from across the room. She was my latest con, a beautiful, dark haired, green eyed woman who just so happened to be married to a rich, successful doctor type. This woman, however, was exceptionally different from all my past cons. Normally I slept with the mark, however, this time, the woman remained completly faithful to her husband and trusted me none the less.

"I have to catch the bus. I'm gonna be late for the buisness meetin', ya know, the one that'll make both of us filthy rich." I lied and both her and her husband smiled and nodded before I headed out the door with a briefcase of money held tightly in my hand.

As I got near the bus stop, I noticed people piling into the vehicle so I ran straight after it, hoping to make it in time. I barely noticed the blonde woman beside me who was trying to make it to the location as well and we both soon reached the door that was about to close.

"Thank you for not leaving." The woman breathed out to the driver, "My sisters in labor right now and I _need _to be there."

She started to make her way up the bus steps but the driver put his hand out to stop her, "Sorry miss, I just stopped to inform you that this bus is full. Our schedule today is quite hectic but another bus should be here in about an hour."

"An_ hour_?" She asked rather harshly, her voice rising with each word she said, "I _need_ to see my sister. I can't _not_ be there. You have to let me on this bus."

The driver shook his head sternly and repeated the same thing he had just told her a moment ago which only seemed to make her angrier. I myself would be damned to wait an hour for the next bus so I turned to the woman next to me and whispered, "Don't worry. I got your back."

She looked at me, completely confused, before I turned to the driver and lied, "Listen up, Kramden, My brother just so happens to be the owner of your little bus company here and if ya don't let me an' my wife on, your ass is fired."

His eyes grew big and he smiled apologetically before saying, "Oh, you must be Mr. LaFleur, your brother has told me so much about you. I'm sorry for the inconvinence and I'm sure I can squeeze you two right on."

"I thought so." I growled out as the driver motioned the other passangers to sqeeze tighter together so that we would fit. When we finally pushed ourselves into an empty space on the bus the woman looked at me with a sly smile."You just _had_ to say I was your wife, huh?" She asked as we stood beside each other in the crowded vehicle. The driver sure wasn't kiddin' when he said they were full, there was hardly room to breath, let alone move.

"How 'bout a thank you?" I asked whilst examining what she looked like for the first time. She was definitly a bombshell and for a second a thought she might be subject for my next con, but when I noticed her scrubs the thought went away, no way a smartie pants doctor would fall for a money scheme.

"How 'bout your name?" She asked in the same tone that I had, and I instictively answered, "Sawyer"

She smiled at me and held out her hand, "Juliet." She then paused for a moment before asking, "So why'd you help me?"

"I wanted to get on this bus just as much as you did, sweetheart. I wasn't helpin' you, I was helpin' _myself_." I drawled out simply and she nodded numerously, as if she was absorbing my words. She then tilted her head slightly and stated softly, "I know what kind of guy you are, Sawyer. Everything you do is for your own benifit. You're a no good panhandler, a _conman. _I could tell by the way you lied to the driver, it was so smooth, almost as if you do it all day, every day...It must have been brought on by something tragic happening in your life, a girl might have left you or someone you loved died."

"What do ya got a file on me or somethin'?" I asked, suprised at how fast she picked up, "But don't go thinkin' you're all smart and intellegent there Oprah, 'cause--"

"Smart and intellegent are the same thing."

"Smart ass" I mummbled as I shook my head then stated, "I bet I can read you just as well. I bet you're a workaholic. Drown yourself in it 'cause you ain't got nothin' else in life. Except of 'course, that sister of yours."

I noticed her gulp and look down, adverting my gaze right before she explained slowly, "My husband and I just got a divorce" My eyes widened at her honesty, and I just looked at her, unsure of what to say. She then paused and added carefully, "And he didn't want me to leave him, so as punishment...he fired me. Today was my last day."

I continued to gawk at her, confused at why a complete stranger would tell me so much about them. She looked directly back at me, her eyes a strong, vibrant color that calmed and reassured me--of what, I wasn't sure. She then admitted, "Now my sister is the only person I have. I don't have anything else, not a job, not a husband, not a _house_." She hesitated and for a moment I thought she had nothing more to say but I nodded my head to let her know I was listening. She took a deep breath and sighed before clearing up, "That's why I needed to get on this bus. I need to see my sister, she's the only thing I have."

I knew then that she was officially done speaking and had nothing more to say. I quickly thought over patting her on the back or hugging her to calm her down but eventually thought against it. I decided, instead, to be honest with her since she was so truthful with me. The thought of not lying normally scared me but there was something about Juliet that I couldn't put my finger on, with only a few minutes of chatter she made me feel safe. I ran my fingers through my hair roughly before admitting, "My real names James. Parents died when I was a kid, so I went on a revenge kick. Never found the guy though, so instead of killin' him like I set out to do, I turned into him...I got a daughter too, but don't spend no time with her." She looked at me, genuinly concerned and I added, "So you still think ya got it bad, darlin'? At least ya got a sister, I ain't got no family, no nothin'."

She placed her hand on my arm and squeezed it softly, "Stop trying to get revenge."

"What?" I questioned and she answered, "For the longest time, Edmund--my ex husband, he was ruining my life, and now I finally got rid of him. And although my life is going downhill and I'm losing everything, I've never been happier. Because now I'm free."

"You sayin' your happy that ya got _nothin'_?" I asked, trying to comprehend what she meant. She just nodded and said, "It's better than having a husband who cheats and a job where your not appriciated...Won't having nothing be better than lying and deceiving innocent women to make a quick buck? That way you can start over, on a clean slate."

"A clean slate?" I said as more of a statement then a question, and just then, before I could get out another word, the bus came to a hault and people started to pile out.

"Well, this is my stop." Juliet said, suddenly excited, "I hope Rachel didn't have the baby yet."

"I better get off here too" I stated simply and she looked at me questionably so I cleared up, "The driver thinks we're married. Don't wanna ruin the con."

She shrugged, thinking nothing of it as I followed her out the door and to the side of the street. We said goodbye to one another and she soon started to make her way to the hospital but stopped suddenly and turned around, "James?

I looked at her with raised eyebrows as she scurried over to me after scribbling her number down on a spare slip of paper she found in her pocket.

"Here" she stated as she placed it in my grasp, "If we're both starting fresh, we might as well do it together."

As soon as Juliet walked away I got aboard the next bus I could find and headed back to the mark's house. Almost immediatly after I knocked, the husband answered the door, looked me up and down and asked, "What's going on? The deal didn't work out, did it? I told Kate not to--"

"Can I come in, I'll explain everythin'." I promised, and he reluctantly nodded before yelling for his wife to come over.

"What's going on?" Was the first thing she asked and when she saw me her eyes lit up, "Did you get the money?"

"No." I stated and both their faces dropped. I wasn't sure if I could say anything more but when Juliet's words _'Clean slate'_ rang in my ears I took a deep breath, building up my courage, then admitted, "I just came here to give ya'll your money back. I wasn't never plannin' on helpin' ya. I conned ya both, but all your money's safe an' sound now, here ya go." I placed the suitcase down on the ground and looked up to see them both staring at me angrily.

Then, the next thing I knew, I was on the phone with Juliet and she was asking, "What do you mean, I'm your one phone call?"

I pushed my hair back as I explained, "I told my latest con's what I was up to an' they called the police in a heartbeat. Now I need ya to bail me out, I'll pay ya back...somehow."

I could hear her sigh on the other line and murmer to someone, "I'll be back soon, okay? Take good care of mama, Julian." She was quiet for a moment before turning her attention back to me, "It shouldn't take me too long to get there. Play nice with the other boys until then, alright, James?"

I rolled my eyes and she chuckled as if she knew exactly what I was doing, then hung up a moment after.

Then, in less time than I expected, the guard came over with a set of keys, unlocking my cell and said gruffly, "You lucked out, Ford. Your getting out of here with no more than a warning. How that's possible, I don't know, but don't push your luck."

"Yes, sir" I stated somewhat suprised as he led me out to where Juliet was standing. When she saw me she ran straight over and grabbed both my hands, grinning from ear to ear, "I'm so proud of you. How do you feel?"

"Now that I'm _free_? Or now that I have a beautiful single blonde standin' right in front of me?"

She tilted her head and before she could answer I leaned in close to her lips and kissed her softly and tenderly. It was suprising, how _right_ I felt with her. I had only known her for three short hours but it felt as if we were together for three _years_. When we pulled away from each other, I explained, "If we're both starting fresh, we might as well do it together."

She smiled, evidently feeling the same as I, then grabbed my hand and dragged me out the door, "Come on, I want you to meet my sister and her new baby boy."

The hospital was only a short walk from the police station which explained why it took Juliet such a short amount of time to come get me. When we reached the front of the hospital, a tall, blonde, serene looking man came strolling up to us, suddenly putting his hands on each of our arms and stated, "You two make a great couple. Enjoy your freedom."

"Freedom from what?" I asked, wondering how a man I've never seen before could know of what Juliet and I had been recently talking of.

"Freedom from conning" he stated simply then turned to Juliet, "Freedom from Edmund. Freedom from the island."

With that, he smiled once more and turned to leave which left Juliet and I more than confused. She opened her mouth to speak and all she could muster was, "How did he...?"

I then looked at her and shrugged, "Must have been on the bus with us, damn eavesdroppers...But what the hell was he sayin' 'bout an' island?"

This time Juliet shrugged and we both shook our head in confusion before she remembered what we were just about to do, "Let's go. I told Rachel I'd only be a few minutes."

"Alright." I agreed as she led me to the room. We approached the door and before we entered I asked curiously, "Why ya spendin' time with me? We don't even know each other."

She looked at me with a serious look strewn across her face and stated, "I don't believe in destiny and yet, somehow, I feel like meeting you today was _fate._"

"That's crazy, Blondie" I chuckled to which she raised her eyebrows and I quickly cleared up, "'Cause I feel the exact same way."


End file.
